This invention relates generally to processor-based systems and particularly to such systems that receive a video stream from a video source such as a video camera or other video capture device.
A video capture device provides streaming video using a digital imaging array to capture video and to generate a stream of video that may be transmitted to a host processor-based system. The video capture device and the host processor-based system may be coupled in a tethered arrangement with a connecting cable. In one example, a video capture device and a host processor-based system may be coupled over a Universal Serial Bus connection. In other cases, it is also possible for the video capture device to communicate with the host processor-based system over a wireless connection.
The host processor-based system may store application programs that provide graphical user interfaces for the user to view, manipulate and store the video captured by the video capture device. Generally, the interface between the application programs on the host processor-based system and the video capture device is a software driver. If this driver fails for any reason, it may be necessary to reboot the entire processor-based system. This results in a very awkward operation of the computer system.
The video driver may encounter problems for any number of reasons. The application software on the host processor-based system may be unable to establish a connection with the video capture device. The software on the host processor-based system may not receive a video stream. The software may receive a video stream but all the frames received may be blank. A hot plugging status problem may arise because the video capture device is either unplugged during system reboot or a new video capture device is plugged in and the driver reports an incorrect state. The driver may not be installed correctly. The user may not have plugged in the video capture device. Thus, in a number of cases, video driver failures may occur.
It would be highly desirable to operate a host processor-based system with a video capture device so that driver failures can be overcome without requiring that the host processor-based system be rebooted.